0:00:02 > 0:00:03This is the Merchant Hotel,
0:00:03 > 0:00:07a luxurious landmark in a booming Belfast.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10Once a bank headquarters, its grand facade now conceals
0:00:10 > 0:00:14a sumptuous playground for the seriously wealthy.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17Powered by a large staff committed to 5-star service...
0:00:17 > 0:00:20- Hello.- ..and classic cocktails.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25This week, the hotel is fully booked and functioning at full throttle.
0:00:25 > 0:00:29There's a dinner for their peers, Northern Ireland's top hoteliers...
0:00:29 > 0:00:31No pressure.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35..a tricky new venture, gigs for kids...
0:00:35 > 0:00:37It's a daunting departure for me.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39..and a mammoth makeover.
0:00:40 > 0:00:45It's one drama after the other but we'll be finished, it'll be perfect.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56The hotel handbook is the staff Bible,
0:00:56 > 0:00:59with strict rules for clothing and conduct.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01With a hectic week ahead,
0:01:01 > 0:01:03executive housekeeper Eve reminds her troops of the need to be
0:01:03 > 0:01:05perfectly turned out.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09OK. Shoes nicely polished.
0:01:11 > 0:01:12OK.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14And, Sophie, lovely hair today.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17- Thank you.- And, Ashton, very good.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Very good, everyone is keeping to the rules.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22- Very well presented.- Yeah.
0:01:23 > 0:01:28If you were coming to stay in a hotel of this standard and you met
0:01:28 > 0:01:32a housekeeper that wasn't presented in a professional manner,
0:01:32 > 0:01:35that would already place something in your mind to think,
0:01:35 > 0:01:37"Hm, is that what the housekeeper looks like?"
0:01:37 > 0:01:39What's that going to say about the bedroom
0:01:39 > 0:01:40or the toilets or the whatever?
0:01:40 > 0:01:43So, therefore, I then try to instil that into my staff,
0:01:43 > 0:01:45that they take a pride in themselves,
0:01:45 > 0:01:49which is then reflected into their work.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51We are going to start off with personal hygiene.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55So, every day, you must have taken a bath or a shower and use deodorant
0:01:55 > 0:01:57before you come into work.
0:01:57 > 0:02:00Because even if you have had a bath or shower, we all get sweaty when we
0:02:00 > 0:02:03are working and it's not nice for someone to come in behind you.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07Your personal hygiene is extremely important and it
0:02:07 > 0:02:10also is important for the people who work alongside you as well.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14- OK?- Change your shirt and your underclothing daily.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18Regularly brush your teeth, ensure your breath is fresh, for example,
0:02:18 > 0:02:20if a smoker is speaking to a guest,
0:02:20 > 0:02:23it won't be nice if they are breathing smoke around...
0:02:23 > 0:02:25smoke-filled breath around the guest.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28Now, we will get to the hair.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32So, hair must be a natural colour, that is blonde, black,
0:02:32 > 0:02:38red or brown and nothing unnatural such as purple,
0:02:38 > 0:02:41green and all the time needs to be kept neatly
0:02:41 > 0:02:44and groomed all the time.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48All shoes should be black and socks should be black or tan,
0:02:48 > 0:02:52with no bare feet, you cannot wear our shoes with no socks.
0:02:52 > 0:02:53So, black or tan.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56- Yeah, that's all clear? - Do we understand,
0:02:56 > 0:02:57we're clear on everything?
0:02:57 > 0:03:01It's the guests' first impression of us and we want to make a good one
0:03:01 > 0:03:03and that's what this is all about.
0:03:04 > 0:03:05Thank you.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15This hotel prides itself on giving young people a foot in the door in
0:03:15 > 0:03:18the hospitality industry.
0:03:18 > 0:03:2118-year-old Sophie started on work experience
0:03:21 > 0:03:24and is now employed three days a week.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27I find it challenging at times,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30but I like to make new goals for myself.
0:03:30 > 0:03:31When I do something wrong,
0:03:31 > 0:03:35I do always get it corrected and make sure I do it right.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38It has to be up to high standards,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41because they are very high.
0:03:43 > 0:03:48I've only had a couple of really, really messy people,
0:03:48 > 0:03:51but I think men are far cleaner than women.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57When you go into a women's, it's the make-up, the hairbrush,
0:03:57 > 0:03:59the hairdryer, the clothes.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05One of our rooms had fake tan on the carpet from obviously the girls
0:04:05 > 0:04:06getting ready.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13Sophie really has grown in confidence, grown in skill,
0:04:13 > 0:04:14grown in experience.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18She's now really here near enough full-time with us,
0:04:18 > 0:04:21so Sophie has been a real success.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24Sophie's cleaning skills have impressed,
0:04:24 > 0:04:27but she has fallen foul of dress code demands.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31I've only one piercing and that's my tongue.
0:04:31 > 0:04:36Eve told me to take it out, so I don't have it in.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39No. Eve told me to take it out, she was like, "Sophie,
0:04:39 > 0:04:41"get that silly tongue ring out again."
0:04:47 > 0:04:50To command rates of over £300 per night,
0:04:50 > 0:04:54owner Bill Wolsey and his wife Petra decided to source fine furniture and
0:04:54 > 0:04:57antiques for all the rooms.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00It meant a shopping spree in the markets of Paris.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05All the antiques were all chosen by myself and my wife.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10That mirror, my wife and I bought in France.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13This material, this comes from Paris.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16This was made especially for us.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18There's a lot of thought has gone into this room.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21A lot of expense has gone into it.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24There was a degree of fun to it. If you speak to Petra,
0:05:24 > 0:05:26she mightn't say that.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29I don't speak French, so she did all the negotiating.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32I would say a price and if the dealer agreed too quickly,
0:05:32 > 0:05:34I would tell her to bring the price down.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37He would tell me, "No, you've got to negotiate another £1,000
0:05:37 > 0:05:40"off of that or 1,000 euros or whatever it was."
0:05:41 > 0:05:43"Righto, here we go."
0:05:43 > 0:05:45And we did it, we did it.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52I couldn't afford to stay in a room like this.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56It's a risk for the hotel to have such expensive, opulent furniture
0:05:56 > 0:05:58gracing every room.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00And on her morning patrol,
0:06:00 > 0:06:03eagle-eyed Eve spots a horror.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09This was one of our first rooms that checked out this morning and,
0:06:09 > 0:06:13unfortunately, the mirrored table has been broken in the room.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16But, fortunately, the guest told us that he's accidentally
0:06:16 > 0:06:19hit a glass bottle off the table so,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22in terms of us having to get this fixed,
0:06:22 > 0:06:26it would be around the £350, £400 mark.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29So the guest has paid for that damage in advance.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34If there was any other sort of damage in rooms that they're maybe
0:06:34 > 0:06:37not honest about and don't tell us on checkout,
0:06:37 > 0:06:39we would look to seek payment for damage and things,
0:06:39 > 0:06:43because it's not acceptable if something does get broken
0:06:43 > 0:06:46and left just for us to discover.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50We will take this table away now
0:06:50 > 0:06:52and we have a spare table.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Brilliant. We don't want the rooms to look any different for the next
0:06:55 > 0:06:59guest coming in. This is obviously a weekend, so the hotel is completely
0:06:59 > 0:07:01full, so we wouldn't be in a position
0:07:01 > 0:07:03not to be able to let this room or anything.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08Yeah, that's grand. Yeah, this one's back from repair.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10We'll get it cleaned up when we're cleaning the room
0:07:10 > 0:07:12and nobody'll know any different.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20In this choice city centre location,
0:07:20 > 0:07:24space is at a premium, so the hotel has created a roof garden
0:07:24 > 0:07:27to host private events.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31Today, it is getting a seasonal makeover
0:07:31 > 0:07:34and a brand-new wardrobe for winter.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37Every year, we theme the roof garden for winter and summer.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40Some of our themes have been very successful.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42Others have been not so much.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45With high hopes of success,
0:07:45 > 0:07:48this year's theme is inspired by a children's classic -
0:07:48 > 0:07:51The Chronicles Of Narnia by CS Lewis.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53We've been selling this space and
0:07:53 > 0:07:55we've been promising to our guests,
0:07:55 > 0:07:57"It's going to be like this, this, this and other thing,"
0:07:57 > 0:07:59so it's just making sure that that's all carried out.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02So I'm sure it's going to look fab. It already does.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04So far, so good.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07With only 24 hours of transformation time,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09it's no fairy tale for the task force.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11Perfect.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13They also hope to recreate the Kingdom of Narnia,
0:08:13 > 0:08:16complete with an entrance through wardrobe doors.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21Then are you drilling holes through that door?
0:08:21 > 0:08:24The problem with the door is that it's so heavy.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27It's quite a large doorframe.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29We would really love it at the entrance to the roof garden,
0:08:29 > 0:08:32because naturally that's where it should go.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34That's the entrance to Narnia, through the wardrobe door.
0:08:34 > 0:08:39So it's just proving a bit tricky to get it where we would like it.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41The central panel came off as one big panel.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43- Yeah.- So, that's definitely findable.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45- And then the other ones... - It's one drama after the other,
0:08:45 > 0:08:48but it will be finished. It'll be perfect.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55If they can sort the closet crisis,
0:08:55 > 0:08:57the hotel hopes to launch a new venture
0:08:57 > 0:09:00in the Narnia-themed roof garden.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04A new idea we're working with at the minute now is for children's
0:09:04 > 0:09:07parties. It has become a bit of a phenomenon in recent years,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10but it's a very different marketplace.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12We hadn't really looked into much before.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14That's almost overkill on the big ones.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17We're using the space whenever it's not being used during the
0:09:17 > 0:09:19daytime and then we can sort of use
0:09:19 > 0:09:22that space again in the evening time so we are using dead space, yes.
0:09:22 > 0:09:28We're creating dreams and also maybe keeping the owner happy too.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31Do you want to just put the kids' stuff up?
0:09:31 > 0:09:34No kids' party is going to work without some decent nosh.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37And today, some tantalising titbits are under scrutiny.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43Sampling the tasty treats are lucky grown-up managers Marco,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46Gavin and Rachel.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50Chicken goujons, a little bit of chips, ham and cheese quiche,
0:09:50 > 0:09:55cheeseburger, and then just little chocolate doughnuts.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58Would you put the sauce on the side with these, then?
0:09:58 > 0:10:00- Or would you...- Yeah,
0:10:00 > 0:10:02we'd put it on the side and then the children can just come along and
0:10:02 > 0:10:04- take a dip.- It is quite dry.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06- Yeah.- What about some onions, maybe?
0:10:06 > 0:10:08A lot of children eat plain, you know, I would imagine.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12I know from my children, after they eat sort of one or two things,
0:10:12 > 0:10:16that's them, they want to move on to try something else, you know?
0:10:16 > 0:10:18With the crumb on, it's really...
0:10:18 > 0:10:21- Yeah.- Light.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25- Right.- This is on the sweeter aspect of things.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28The only thing I've got to say on this one is, are those the best
0:10:28 > 0:10:30things for it?
0:10:30 > 0:10:32Cos you can't get down. I think you can get all three layers,
0:10:32 > 0:10:36whereas now you find yourself going through cream...
0:10:36 > 0:10:39- Johnny, this is heaven. - It's fantastic.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41It's amazing. I was going to say, is this strawberry and champagne?
0:10:41 > 0:10:43I hope it's not. It's not strawberry and champagne?
0:10:43 > 0:10:47- No, no champagne in this one. - Keep that away from the kids.- Yeah.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49Beautiful.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52You kind of fool yourself into thinking it's healthy as well.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54- Yeah.- Yeah.- You know, sort of? - I thought it was.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Might have another one.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59So, doughnuts.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01- It's really rich.- It's very rich, that.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03- Yeah.- Almost a little bit too rich.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07We can't do all chocolate, because then parents are worried about their
0:11:07 > 0:11:08clothes. It goes everywhere.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11- Yeah.- You are bringing a whole new level of logic into this.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13Yeah. The next one will be...
0:11:13 > 0:11:16Have to think about these things. "Not on your white dress!"
0:11:21 > 0:11:25Time is running out for the roof garden transformation team and the
0:11:25 > 0:11:29hotel's storeroom is plundered for some last-minute imposing props.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Well, we'll just get it all on the cage for the minute
0:11:33 > 0:11:37and then stores can run it up there.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39GLASS SMASHES
0:11:39 > 0:11:42- Whoops!- Minus that bit of glass. - Not to worry.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45Event designer Rachel is at the helm of the challenge.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49A scheduled photoshoot piles further pressure on the team.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52In under four hours, the room will be revealed on social media.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55I am now going to spray.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03Please, please, put those lights onto static.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Happy with a bit of flash.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07Sorry, they just look like they're in a supermarket.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11Then we're just going to do what I would call a whirl of snow
0:12:11 > 0:12:13- around the top.- OK.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15So, right, listen up, everyone,
0:12:15 > 0:12:18we have got to be out of here by four o'clock.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21And we have got four hours left.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28We did have an issue with the Narnia wardrobe doors,
0:12:28 > 0:12:30they were supposed to be going on entry,
0:12:30 > 0:12:33as we come into through the glass, so we've compromised
0:12:33 > 0:12:36and we've put them on this wall
0:12:36 > 0:12:39and exposed a snowy Narnia scene.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46It's just trying to get any form of attachment.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50Just to hide those modern-day screws.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52A few finishing touches,
0:12:52 > 0:12:54place the trees and then really clear up and then that's
0:12:54 > 0:12:57us, we're finished - hopefully.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02Before completion, Petra pops in to give her seal of approval.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06- 50 roses.- Oh, super! What we'll do is...we'll snow up the gap.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10- OK.- And just have the snow spilling out of the wardrobe onto the floor.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13Yeah. Delighted, I think it looks really lovely.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15People have got to walk in and go...
0:13:15 > 0:13:17- SHE GASPS - Wow!
0:13:17 > 0:13:18That's the reaction you want and, you know,
0:13:18 > 0:13:21that is the reaction we get as well, so it's great.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24We're confident that we're on the right track.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28While Petra appears happy with her rooftop Narnia,
0:13:28 > 0:13:32events manager Rachel has one lasting regret.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35The doors... I just thought walk into the wardrobe
0:13:35 > 0:13:39and there's Narnia, but the doors were on the other side,
0:13:39 > 0:13:41but there's some things that we just can't do
0:13:41 > 0:13:43and you just have to let it go, Rachel.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47Despite Rachel's reservation,
0:13:47 > 0:13:50the hotel's homage to CS Lewis completes just in time
0:13:50 > 0:13:52for the photoshoot.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05Today sees an important event in the hotel's calendar.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10They're hosting their peers and rivals
0:14:10 > 0:14:14for the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation annual gourmet dinner.
0:14:16 > 0:14:17All Northern Ireland's top hotels
0:14:17 > 0:14:21and restaurants are on the guest list, which means great pressure in
0:14:21 > 0:14:24the Great Room for food and beverage manager, Marco.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31It's 140 guests attending the dinner this evening,
0:14:31 > 0:14:33all of them from the hospitality industry.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35No pressure.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43It's much different to a normal day in the restaurant.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47On top of everything, the whole restaurant is full of hoteliers so
0:14:47 > 0:14:49certainly will be watching us how...
0:14:49 > 0:14:52on our skills and ability, but we love it.
0:14:54 > 0:14:59One, four, five, six, eight, nine,
0:14:59 > 0:15:0212, 14.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05To give the event added culinary cachet,
0:15:05 > 0:15:09the hotel has flown in London's hottest Michelin-starred chef -
0:15:09 > 0:15:11the sizzling Ollie Dabbous.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15With these events, you know, we're doing plates of 150 people.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19I think it's six courses. It's a lot of organisation that goes into it.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22So yeah, yeah, this is the kind of fun bit, getting,
0:15:22 > 0:15:23you know, getting stuck in.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28As well as overseeing the food,
0:15:28 > 0:15:32Guest Chef Dabbous has insisted on his own table adornments,
0:15:32 > 0:15:35complete with cabbages.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38The table decoration, they are specific...
0:15:38 > 0:15:42Ollie's, the chef this evening.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45Normally, we wouldn't put a cabbage on the table, no.
0:15:46 > 0:15:52However, not everyone is enthralled by Ollie's table centrepiece.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55I think it looks disgusting.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57In a garden, yeah.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01It's beautiful on the garden table, but definitely not in the beautiful,
0:16:01 > 0:16:04elegant dinner table.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07But it's not up to me.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09I'm just a dust in the system.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20With a staff of 350 to inspire,
0:16:20 > 0:16:24owner Bill Wolsey has a rather unorthodox management technique.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28It's up to you how much...
0:16:28 > 0:16:30You know what? Family's overused in business.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Bigger companies are always twittering on about families.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36We have an environment where we have the highest staff retention in our
0:16:36 > 0:16:37industry. Not by a small way,
0:16:37 > 0:16:41but by a mile and that's because we empower people.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43That's why people stay.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Not all this rubbish about sending them a birthday card
0:16:46 > 0:16:49and ringing up and saying, "It's your wedding anniversary."
0:16:49 > 0:16:51We're not that sort of company.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55We seem to attract... We attract a nice personality,
0:16:55 > 0:16:59you know, and they quickly gel no matter what department it is and
0:16:59 > 0:17:02everybody... There's not a lot of cross words I've come across.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04Yeah, there's lots of cross words.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06- Well, yeah, from you!- Yeah.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09Well, he would argue with me,
0:17:09 > 0:17:13but then I can't tell him a little white lie,
0:17:13 > 0:17:16cos he completely knows you're doing that stuttery thing
0:17:16 > 0:17:18and I just don't it anyway.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20If I'm trying to buy myself a bit of time maybe.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23And I try to admit to my mistakes.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26- Do you want me to put together a meeting?- Yes.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29Just as you grow, you need to learn, and I'm really open to
0:17:29 > 0:17:33all of us learning and me particularly.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35Right, OK.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41As a successful, self-made businessman,
0:17:41 > 0:17:44Bill is keen to help inspire the next generation.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50Today, he's on the road for a series of motivational talks.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54The first is in Bangor, where he attended technical college
0:17:54 > 0:17:56and started his first business.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01We bought a pub in Bangor.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05I there had a sort of year, which was like a nightmare.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07So it was a difficult period.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10I was actually stabbed in the bar,
0:18:10 > 0:18:14but we held firm to our beliefs. So everything I learnt
0:18:14 > 0:18:19in that first year, I've kept with me for the next 39 years, in fact.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22Yeah, I used to come here when it was Bangor Tech.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26To say I was a failure is probably speaking too highly of me.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31You know, it's good to come back to school where I was a failure and if
0:18:31 > 0:18:36you can talk openly and give them an understanding that, you know,
0:18:36 > 0:18:40life is all about work, applying yourself.
0:18:41 > 0:18:46You know, there's not that many people that I know, you know,
0:18:46 > 0:18:50who have perceived and moved on in life and it was easy.
0:18:50 > 0:18:51It's all, you know,
0:18:51 > 0:18:55in there, rolling your sleeves up and working hard.
0:18:59 > 0:19:04We're off to Start360, which is an organisation which looks after
0:19:04 > 0:19:09vulnerable adults and kids who have had,
0:19:09 > 0:19:11you know, a particularly difficult start.
0:19:13 > 0:19:18My message is, you know, the same that I'm not particularly talented,
0:19:18 > 0:19:21but I work hard.
0:19:21 > 0:19:26I display a certain tenacity and that sometimes is enough.
0:19:30 > 0:19:36My reason for coming up here is not to show you lot how clever I am
0:19:36 > 0:19:40or how talented I am. It's the exact opposite.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43It was a sort of unusual background I came from.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45At school, I was a disaster.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48Nobody could get my interest and because of that you were sort of
0:19:48 > 0:19:51getting into minor scrapes.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54You ended up, like, a top, successful businessman
0:19:54 > 0:19:58- in Northern Ireland now, right? - Yeah.- So you went from being,
0:19:58 > 0:20:03- like, feeling like that - that you were useless, to that.- No.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06You made all these businesses and money and stuff.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08You're obviously not useless, like.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12I wasn't useless, but I didn't find anything that motivated me.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14Once you find something that motivates you,
0:20:14 > 0:20:17then, you know, that gets your concentration.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21Then all your energies go towards that, but until you get that,
0:20:21 > 0:20:26you're lost and what you need is to be able to put food on your table.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Our society is completely arse about face.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33Who deserves the most praise?
0:20:33 > 0:20:38Me for getting paid well, doing a job that I love, or my father,
0:20:38 > 0:20:42who worked every day of his life to fix machines that he hated?
0:20:42 > 0:20:46Or my mother, who worked in laundrettes or took on crap jobs
0:20:46 > 0:20:48to put food on our table?
0:20:48 > 0:20:49Who deserves the most praise?
0:20:49 > 0:20:51- Your ma and da.- Exactly.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55So you remember that. Not everybody wants to climb the greasy pole.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59Getting a job and staying in a job and enjoying what you're doing,
0:20:59 > 0:21:04putting food on a table, says a lot about you, and you lot,
0:21:04 > 0:21:08some of you will climb up the greasy pole,
0:21:08 > 0:21:10but the others who don't and don't want to
0:21:10 > 0:21:14deserve every bit, and I think more, praise than people like me.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20Bill's talks seems to have gone down well.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24One boy is keen to find out more about working in hospitality.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28Are there, like, experts on wine?
0:21:28 > 0:21:32- Sommeliers.- Sommeliers? Cos I enjoy wine,
0:21:32 > 0:21:35so I'd like to become more knowledgeable about it.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Genuinely, if you're interested,
0:21:37 > 0:21:42we'll look at where you are and we can give you a path.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44If someone like me can do it, anybody can do it.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51I think it went well. They were really good young men.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53They seemed to be interested.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56So, yeah, I'm pleased with that.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07The hotel has its first children's party booking.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10It is 11-year-old Caoimhe's birthday and she's come to discuss the
0:22:10 > 0:22:13detail with events manager Rachel.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16I wanted to talk through the food options.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19I think I'd like to go with the children's finger food,
0:22:19 > 0:22:21because the parents will probably be expecting
0:22:21 > 0:22:26them to have eaten a fuller meal than just sandwiches.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30Good idea, Caoimhe. So I also want to talk about party activities.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34So they have things like hair braiding...
0:22:34 > 0:22:37You know, I have a ten-year-old daughter myself,
0:22:37 > 0:22:39so I know that they love the Merchant,
0:22:39 > 0:22:41so it's going to be really, really fun, hopefully.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44And the birthday girl, I hope, will really, really like it.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46So I was thinking about colour scheme.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48What's your favourite colours?
0:22:48 > 0:22:50- Purple.- Purple.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Dark purple or lilac?
0:22:52 > 0:22:56Lilac. But maybe that kind of blue might be nice.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58- You like that blue?- Yeah.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01I've probably got a max of 25 people coming.
0:23:01 > 0:23:07They're all girls and I've got at least 13 people from my class.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09Say you had it at your house and then you
0:23:09 > 0:23:11would have to tidy up after yourself.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14If you have it here, everyone else can do it for you!
0:23:14 > 0:23:16If you get what I mean.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28In the Great Room, it's less than an hour to the hotel's federation
0:23:28 > 0:23:31dinner and although everything seems to be in place,
0:23:31 > 0:23:35general manager Gavin casts his critical eye over every detail.
0:23:38 > 0:23:42So we're going to have a concierge here from seven?
0:23:42 > 0:23:47Yes, sir, seven o'clock, car park concierge welcoming all our guests.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49Can you give this a little sweep?
0:23:49 > 0:23:52Just all the steps right to the bottom of the pavement.
0:23:52 > 0:23:53Yeah. Will do.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57So, champagne served.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00Champagne served on trays in the bar area.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02We have to put how many people in here?
0:24:02 > 0:24:05136.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07- Canapes...- Canapes all served here. - Yes.
0:24:07 > 0:24:11Can you get someone to go around and just make sure they're
0:24:11 > 0:24:13sitting all exactly the same at all tables?
0:24:13 > 0:24:17And maybe get someone with a pair of scissors to just
0:24:17 > 0:24:19snip any wee bits that are...
0:24:19 > 0:24:22- Yes, a bit loose.- Again, especially there,
0:24:22 > 0:24:25- there is a bit of a lopsided heather going on.- Yes.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27No, very happy, the room looks well.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29It's good to see the room being used
0:24:29 > 0:24:31for something so entirely different.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33Good to go.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38It's a big night for us.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40There's a lot of attention sort of focused on us.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42I know there's a few hoteliers that
0:24:42 > 0:24:44come into your hotel and you certainly
0:24:44 > 0:24:47make sure that you try and have everything just as it should be.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50No, I'm very happy. I think it's going to be a great night.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54Above in the roof garden,
0:24:54 > 0:24:57it's time for the Merchant's first non grown-up gig.
0:24:57 > 0:25:02Gavin and Rachel summon their inner child over last minute preparations.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06Gavin's now an expert on which way children like their sweets!
0:25:08 > 0:25:10I would not have any child have something to eat in the Merchant
0:25:10 > 0:25:12that I haven't tried.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19It's not really how we've seen the room before.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22It's not usually the catering we would normally do either.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Rachel, leave some for the kids.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26SHE LAUGHS
0:25:26 > 0:25:28I have never eaten as many sweets in my entire life.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31- It's so nice.- I can't... I actually can't eat any more.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34The girls are going to arrive at reception.
0:25:34 > 0:25:35We've got a sign there.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39Tray service for their non-alcoholic mojitos.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41Then the girls will come in.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43They're going to play about and eat the sweets.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45The food is going to come on afternoon tea stands.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49The Wi-Fi code is because you know this generation,
0:25:49 > 0:25:51they're all about the Instagram.
0:25:51 > 0:25:52- I can't get over that.- I know.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55Have you ever been to an 11-year-old birthday where the main detail was
0:25:55 > 0:25:57make sure you've got Wi-Fi code ready?
0:25:57 > 0:25:59It's a daunting departure for me.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02It's not just a world I would know a lot about.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04So, Rachel has a daughter around about the same age,
0:26:04 > 0:26:06so I handed everything over to Rachel, really,
0:26:06 > 0:26:08so it's her responsibility
0:26:08 > 0:26:10to make sure that everything goes according to plan today,
0:26:10 > 0:26:12- which I know it will. - Yeah, I love it.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15I've loved chatting with Caoimhe about all her plans and
0:26:15 > 0:26:17what she wants for the day.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19I just want to make sure it's fun.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21So it'll be a steep learning curve for us, I think, today,
0:26:21 > 0:26:25- but they will tell us what they want.- Yeah, I can't wait.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28By the time they arrive tonight, it'll be dark outside, so the fairy
0:26:28 > 0:26:31lights and everything will have taken over in the patio area.
0:26:31 > 0:26:34We'll just turn Justin Bieber up a little bit
0:26:34 > 0:26:37- and that'll filter out the rain.- Oh, dear.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40- Taylor Swift.- A bit of Taylor Swift. - Will you be dancing, Gavin?
0:26:40 > 0:26:41Totes.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47Sweet, but forget Gavin and Rachel,
0:26:47 > 0:26:49this is all about the birthday girl.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51Her guests, their moves,
0:26:51 > 0:26:54and those celebrated cocktails at the Merchant.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01Fresh mint, fresh lime,
0:27:01 > 0:27:04apple juice, and shaken up and served over ice.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06Let me know how it goes.
0:27:06 > 0:27:07Nice.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36Quite different. You keep forgetting that they're all children,
0:27:36 > 0:27:38but, yeah, they all seem to be having a brilliant time.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41It's so funny seeing them, they're so into the Wi-Fi
0:27:41 > 0:27:43and posting on Instagram and they're just
0:27:43 > 0:27:47taking constant selfies so it's really funny listening to all their
0:27:47 > 0:27:51conversations, but they all seem to be having a really nice time, yeah.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58THEY CHEER
0:28:01 > 0:28:03Aw!
0:28:06 > 0:28:09Job done. Kids' parties may now turn into a regular feature.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13But how did Marco fair with the great and the good
0:28:13 > 0:28:15of the Northern Irish hotel industry?
0:28:20 > 0:28:22It went very well.
0:28:22 > 0:28:27Very happy. Guests being all from the hospitality industry, obviously,
0:28:27 > 0:28:31you're always a bit concerned with the feedback that you're going to
0:28:31 > 0:28:33get. Delighted. At the end of the night,
0:28:33 > 0:28:36lots of people paid compliment to the service. Very pleased.
0:28:36 > 0:28:37Very proud.